Seasonal Tips

Treatment of Apple Scab

In late spring or early summer, foliage of several varieties of crab apples become curly, spotty or dead, leading to heavy defoliation by mid or late summer. This is caused by a fungus which is commonly referred to as Apple Scab. This fungus also affects fruit trees and apple orchards. Wet seasons increase this problem. This will not normally kill the tree but can injure it severely and make it unsightly.

Control: The following is a listing of crab trees that we carry that show to be resistant to Apple Scab: Adams, Red Jewell, Sargents, Prairie Fire, Mary Potter, Sargents & Zumi.

Thoroughly clean up and destroy or remove diseased leaves and fruit. Rake up and burn debris in the fall.

Apply fungicide in wet seasons, making the first application prior to flowering. Once the tree is done blooming (when petals drop), apply second treatment of fungicide and further applications should be at 14 day intervals.

If summer is also wet, continual treatment may be required.

If you want to help prevent the fungus, make applications as buds break in the spring and every 2 weeks after blooming. Use an all-purpose fungicide like Daconil or other products made by Bonide, Spectracide, Ortho or Ferti-lome. Mancozeb and Funginex are also good products.

Do not apply while tree is in bloom as it will affect bee pollination.

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